


The King, The Captain, The Soldier

by Annerp, RenneMichaels



Category: Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: 2012 Loki, Angst, Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Awkward Flirting, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Bucky Barnes is a troll, Fix-It of Sorts, Implied Sexual Content, Loki being Loki, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, Not Canon Compliant, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Protective Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson is a Gift, Slow Burn, Steve Rogers Feels, Thor (Marvel) is a Good Bro, caprbb2019, frostshield - Freeform, stoki - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-21
Updated: 2019-05-29
Packaged: 2020-03-08 22:27:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18903910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annerp/pseuds/Annerp, https://archiveofourown.org/users/RenneMichaels/pseuds/RenneMichaels
Summary: The end, or maybe it was the beginning, came so fast. The initial months of grieving, followed closely by an overwhelming sense of helplessness, had felt like forever. And then Tony was back. It was a miracle, or an astounding feet of engineering, but either way, he was back.There were powerful new allies, re-forged connections and mended friendships. All thoughts of betrayals and inconsequential legislation pushed to the side in the flurry of activity that followed. Steve accepted that he would never understand the science behind it all. He didn’t need to. He had faith that Tony could get them where and when, it would later turn out, they needed to be.The plan had been simple in theory and almost impossibly complex in practice. Locate the gauntlet and the stones. Launch a concentrated attack on Thanos to get it back. Use it to reverse what was done. Bring back their loved ones.They located Thanos and therefore the gauntlet, with Nebula’s knowledge. And they pulled together as a team to take the fight to the Titan.And they won.





	1. The Fallen

**Author's Note:**

> This is our contribution to the CAPRBB 2019 based off the amazing artwork of RenneMichaels.

 

 

**Prologue**

 

The end, or maybe it was the beginning, came so fast. The initial months of grieving, followed closely by an overwhelming sense of helplessness, had felt like forever. And then Tony was back. It was a miracle, or an astounding feet of engineering, but either way, he was back. 

There were powerful new allies, re-forged connections and mended friendships. All thoughts of betrayals and inconsequential legislation pushed to the side in the flurry of activity that followed. Steve accepted that he would never understand the science behind it all. He didn’t need to. He had faith that Tony could get them where and when, it would later turn out, they needed to be.

The plan had been simple in theory and almost impossibly complex in practice. Locate the gauntlet and the stones. Launch a concentrated attack on Thanos to get it back. Use it to reverse what was done. Bring back their loved ones. 

They located Thanos and therefore the gauntlet, with Nebula’s knowledge. And they pulled together as a team to take the fight to the Titan. 

And they won. 

Against all odds, they won. Maybe it was the increased power with the addition of Captain Marvel, maybe it was the desperation with which each one of them fought, knowing there would not be another chance at this, maybe it was the fact that Thanos did not fight with the gauntlet, maybe it was pure luck or a combination of everything, but they won. 

They won and then were faced with the reality of a gauntlet that was too damaged to use and no one with the knowledge to wield it, even if it were not. The stones were intact with the exception of the space stone, which was cracked down the center with large chips missing out of it. The gauntlet itself was scorched and partially melted, with the most damage centered around where the space stone had been housed.

It was a set back, to be sure. A devastating one at that. And it seemed insurmountable until a random comment by Thor, brought new life to their plan. 

Loki.

Loki who had given up the tesseract to save Thor. Loki who had wielded not one, but two different infinity stones. Loki who had vast knowledge of ancient weapons and magical artifacts. Loki who had given up his life and was beyond their reach. 

And maybe he was, but as Tony excitedly pointed out, they had the power sources to alter time and reality, if only they could find a way to harness that power, surely they could figure out a way to bring one man back.

It took time, but between Thor, Tony, Nebula, Bruce and Captain Marvel they devised a way to harness the power of the individual stones. It was not elegant, but it didn’t have to be. It only had to work.

Steve wasn’t interested in the mechanics of time travel or mind control, or altering reality, all he cared about was the mission. Go back to just before the invasion of New York, break Loki out of S.H.I.E.L.D., steal the tesseract, get back. And then the real work could begin.

It took four tries to get Loki and the tesseract. The first failed because they didn’t have enough information on the security precautions and were caught before they could get Loki out. The second time they got Loki out, but he got away from them. The third time they got Loki out and were able to restrain him, but he sabotaged their efforts to get the tesseract.

Each time they used the reality stone and the time stone to restart the mission. The fourth time they were ready. As soon as they had Loki out of his cell, Thor used the mind stone on him. Not to control his brother, but to break the hold that Thanos had over him. Why he had missed it before, Thor didn’t know. He could not stop himself from wondering if he had noticed back when Loki first brought the sceptre to earth, if all of this could have been avoided. 

Once free from the control of the mind stone, Loki was a mixed bag of arrogance, helpfulness, anger and intense intelligence. It was astonishing how quickly Loki took control of their team, returning them all to their own reality with the tesseract and then working closely with Tony, Thor and Bruce on the gauntlet itself.  

On some level it bothered Steve that Loki was working with them to restore the gauntlet so they could undo the snap. Especially since this Loki had no knowledge of any of the events after being in S.H.I.E.L.D. custody. And even though he tried, Steve’s mind wouldn’t let him leave it alone. 

 

**Chapter 1**

**The Fallen**

 

“Captain, you are brooding. I suggest that you either say your piece, or leave,” Loki remarks lowly from where he stands at the floor to ceiling glass of the common room, looking out over the grounds of the compound.

The sun is just beginning to peek over the horizon, rays of yellow orange light illuminating his face giving him an ethereal, otherworldly appearance. Looking at him standing there, Steve understands why these beings and Loki specifically, were once worshiped as Gods.

He should leave. He should go on his run as planned and leave the man in peace. Instead, he finds his feet carrying him closer and his mouth opening, words spilling out heedlessly on their own.

“Why are you helping us?”

This time Loki does turn, an eyebrow lifted in question, “I beg your pardon?”

“I mean, why are you helping rebuild the gauntlet to bring everyone back? It’s not like you lost anyone. You have no stake in this.”

Loki hums and turns his attention back to the windows. It is only when the sun is fully above the horizon that he speaks. “Perhaps I simply desired to see Thanos defeated.”

“But we did defeat him.”

“Yes. I suppose you did.” Loki’s eyes sweep across the windows. And Steve wonders, just what it is that Loki sees out there. “It is also possible that I merely want to see restored all that I have lost.”

There is something in Loki’s tone that Steve can’t quite pin down and he cannot stop himself from asking. “What did you lose?”

Turning away from the window, Loki walks away. He pauses just before exiting the room. “I lost everything Captain. Absolutely everything.”

Loki can hear the next question before it is even spoken aloud. “You have left me with unfettered access to the stones for weeks Captain. Is it so hard to believe that I would not look? That somehow, I would not be at least interested to know what I had lived through, what I died for?”

He turns his head just enough for Steve to get a glimpse of his profile. “I lost everything Captain. Including myself.”

 

In the weeks that come, Steve watches Loki a little closer. He can see the signs now that he so easily overlooked before. The tragedy in it all was that it seemed as though he was the only one who did. No one else, not even Thor, realized the depth of the pain Loki carried every day. No one else thought to wonder on his motivations or else maybe they did, but chose to set it aside in favor of accomplishing their goal. 

Then when the time came, they eagerly handed the rebuilt gauntlet over to the God of Mischief and Lies and put countless lives quite literally in his hand.

And he refused to do it.

He had concerns, questions that needed to be answered, plans that he insisted be put in place.

“I can do this,” Loki reassured those gathered with him in one of the compounds conference rooms. “But you must be prepared.”

“When Thanos did this, the world was going about their lives. Businesses were running, factories, machinery, cars on roads, airplanes in the sky. I will not bring your people back in the same way they were taken. It would be ill-considered and also unnecessarily cruel.”

Steve looks around at those gathered. He can almost feel the mixture of anger, disappointment and shock rolling off of them in waves. He understands it, of course he does. But when he looks at Loki, all he feels is a sense of grim determination.

It was sobering and heartbreaking. At times seeming staggeringly impossible. And Earth is not the only planet. The snap affected the entire universe. Each inhabited realm must be restored, but it cannot all be done at once.

A day is set, plans are made. Enormous machines are built in hundreds of cities throughout the world. If it works, Loki will take the gauntlet and the equipment with Thor, Tony and Nebula across the realms. If they are successful, it will take months, if not longer to restore those that were lost. If they are not…. Those that are left, will have to find a way to move on, what ever it takes.

Steve watches as Loki puts the rebuilt and significantly smaller gauntlet on his hand. They are standing in the spot where so many of his friends were lost. He feels sick being back in Wakanda. Anticipation and fear create a churning sensation in his stomach that makes him feel nauseous and light headed in turns. He wants this over with, but is afraid to think about what will happen if Loki fails. 

The god is serious and stoic, saying very little as he watches the final preparations. Steve watches as Loki closes his eyes and clenches his fist. At first nothing happens and Steve feels like his legs are about to give out from the crushing disappointment. But then the stones start to glow and the air begins to stir.

The world changes again.

Steve’s comm line crackles as reports start to come in from around the world. Tony in New York, Natasha in Berlin. Reports from Bruce and Rhodey, Clint and Thor, from dozens more as bodies begin to pour out of the giant portals to the quantum realm that Tony designed. It works. But even with the proof of tens of thousands of people emerging into the early morning sunlight, Steve still doesn’t quite believe. Until he hears it.

“On your left.”

Having billions of lives restored is excruciatingly difficult. The logistical nightmares are overshadowed however, by the overwhelming joy felt almost universally. Steve isn’t a fool though. He knows there are those whose lives can never be set right. After the snap, some people moved on, some found themselves unable to keep living. People lived and died. Children were born, families were formed, some were torn apart. No one was left unaffected. 

It is in a rare moment of quiet, when everyone else is still asleep that Steve seeks Loki out. He finds him standing, as expected, in the common room staring out the windows. Since that first time, months ago, Steve has spent many quiet moments watching the sun rise from this exact spot with Loki before leaving on his run. Most mornings they stood quietly, with no need for words, but today is different and Steve can feel it.

“You are brooding Captain. Say your piece.” An echo of their first time standing here, but this time Loki does not ask him to leave. 

“Now that this is over, I was wondering what you’ll do. Will you stay here? I know it can’t be easy seeing so many get their loved ones back after everything you’ve lost……”

“Yes, I suppose it would be hard,” Loki muses and there is something in his tone that gives Steve pause. “Do not fret over me Captain. I have set myself a task that shall keep me quite busy for some time.”

Steve looks at him, interest peaked. “What is it?”

The smile Loki gives him is tired and a little sad, “there are things I have always wanted to do, goals that I was never able to achieve, wrongs that I am compelled to right. I find myself with an unparalleled opportunity and it would be a great tragedy if I did not seize upon it.”

They stand in silence for a while longer until Loki looks at him, “and what of you Captain?”

 “Me?” The question catches Steve short and he realizes that he doesn’t know. Steve turns just enough to see the expectant look on the gods face. “To be honest, I haven’t given much thought about what I’ll do.”

“It would seem you are a bit of a cross roads. Do you continue on as you were, or do you forge a new path?”

Steve is quiet for a moment while he thinks. “My entire life has been one fight after another.”

“Then perhaps Captain, it is time to lay down your shield and stop fighting. Maybe spend time with your beloved, now that he is returned to you.” Loki phrases it as a question. Something for Steve to consider. 

And that’s…….Steve knows he needs to think about what he really wants, but…. “Wait? My beloved? There’s no…… I’m not……..”

“No?” Loki raises an eyebrow, genuinely curious. “What of James Barnes? You cannot deny that he is beloved of you.”

Steve’s thoughts settle on his friend and a warm smile comes to his face without any effort, but it fades as he thinks of the man sitting by himself in Steve’s old apartment, uncomfortable with staying in the compound despite Tony’s somewhat forced reassurances that it was okay. The situation has been tense and hard for Steve to navigate as he comes to terms with everything that has happened and has to face the fact that restoring all those lives, did not erase any of their history.

Loki must be able to see it because he lets the subject drop. He gestures with his hand and the gauntlet appears. Steve is sure he will never get used to that. “Please see that this gets to my brother. He is best suited to disposing of it.”

Steve takes the gauntlet with a solemn nod. “Thank you Loki, for everything. Don’t stay away, you’re welcome back, anytime.”

Loki’s eyes draw together just slightly, almost as though he doesn’t know how to react to that and then he smiles. One of the more mischievous ones that Steve secretly likes. “You are welcome Captain.” And then he is gone.

 

 

 


	2. The Soldier

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter features another wonderful piece of artwork by RenneMichaels.

**Chapter 2**

**The Solider**

 

It hasn’t been long since half the world was brought back to life. In that time, governments have started to reform, clean up has been begun, the world has started to move again.

Once the initial elation of bringing back billions of people passes, the actual scope of the devastation becomes more clear. It is painful and messy while people try to make sense of what has happened, in much the same way they did when everyone was first lost. There is a feeling of fear and uncertainty that permeates the air as the world comes to terms with just how fragile everything really is.

The Avengers go out day after day, week after week and month after month. Keeping the peace, helping with morale, doing everything within their power to reassure the world and help it move forward. And predictably there are those that take advantage. Assets are horded, people are exploited, bids for power take precedent over efforts to restart the world.

Steve is kept busy in this new world. And as time goes on, he realizes that even though so much of the world has changed, there is still so much that stays the same. He finds it troubling and exhausting when he lays in bed at night and he can’t help thinking back on Loki’s question. What will he do with himself now?

 

Steve lets himself inside the apartment, setting his keys down on the table just inside the entryway. He can see light flickering down the hallway towards the living room that tells him the TV is on.

“Bucky?” he calls out, careful to keep his voice from carrying too far given the too thin walls between this unit and the neighbors.

He takes two steps down the hallway and then stops, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end when he sees the living room curtains flutter. Pressing himself closer to the wall, Steve edges further down the hallway, senses on high alert. He can hear harsh breathing from the living room.

There is a framed photo at the end of the hallway of the Howling Commandos, arms around each other, all smiles, with mugs of beer raised in cheer. It was taken the night before they left to capture Arnim Zola. The night before leaving on the mission where Bucky fell……

His eyes start to slide away from the photo, but not before they catch on something reflected in the glass. Steve inches a little closer and focuses. His breath snags for just a second before he darts into the living room.

“Bucky!”

He’s sitting in the lone chair in the room. Flesh hand pressed against his side. Steve is on his knees in front of him before the former assassin can even react.

“What happened?” He asks, prying Bucky’s hand away before ripping at the fabric of Bucky’s T-shirt. Underneath is a small puncture wound. Blood oozes out with each exhale.

“Leave it alone, it’s not that bad.” Bucky winces as he gestures vaguely behind Steve. The blondes stomach knots and he has to force himself to turn and look. There are feet sticking out from behind the couch. He lurches up to get a closer look and inhales sharply at the carnage. He counts six. And more in the kitchen.

“Its not the first time,” Bucky says quietly from behind him.

Steve’s eyes go wide and he looks back at his friend. “What do you mean ‘its not the first time’?”

“They’ve been after me for weeks. I thought I could smoke them out, find out who they were. Turns out I’m a pretty hot commodity.” Bucky chuckles grimly, but cuts off as he presses his hand to the wound on his side. “Apparently, there’s a pretty short supply of former brainwashed assassins.”

Steve listens in horror as Bucky describes the price that has been put on his head. The bidding sites, the contracts put out. “$5,000,000 would motivate a lot of people and that’s the low bid, just for killing me. Bring me in alive…..” he trails off with a bleak smile.

“It’s okay. We’re gonna get you out of here. We’ll figure it out. Find a place for you to lay low until we do.”

“It won’t end Stevie. They’ll just keep coming. It’s not just people looking for revenge. It’s cartels and terrorists and governments. There are so many that want a piece of me that the price just keeps going up and up. It won’t end.”

Bucky sounds tired and resigned and that above all else frightens Steve. He stands up and jerks the hallway closet door open, grabbing a bag from inside. Going into the bedroom, he opens drawers and scoops out clothes, stuffing them inside. In the bathroom, he sweeps his arm across the counter, dumping in everything within reach. He zips the bag up, grabs Bucky’s jacket from the hook behind the door and goes back out into the living room.

“C’mon. We’re going.” He offers his hand to help Bucky up, but it is just impatiently batted away.

“What’s the point? Someone is going to catch up to me sooner or later. This time it was ten. Next time it will be more and I won’t be able to stop them all.”

“I’ll help you. I won’t let you be taken from me again.” Steve can hear the desperation creeping in to his voice. This can’t be happening. He will not lose Bucky again.

Bucky laughs again and the sound is gravely and pained. “Captain America isn’t going to be enough to stop them.” At the look on Steve’s face he adds, “not even Steve Rogers is going to be enough.”

 

Bundling a protesting super soldier into a compact car is just as difficult as it sounds. By the time Steve is able to force Bucky downstairs, he is ready to just knock him out and throw him in the trunk.

“This is kidnapping you know,” Bucky says sullenly from the passenger seat, hand still pressed tightly against his side to stop the bleeding until they can get the wound bandaged.

Steve’s grip tightens on the steering wheel until he has to force his fingers to loosen when he can feel the plastic start to give under his hands. “Look Bucky, I’m not going to just leave you out there to deal with this alone.” He looks over and is greeted by an angry pout. “It’s like you don’t even know me!” He forces a smile on his face to go along with the tease. In the reflection of the window, even he can see it looks more like a grimace and so he gives up trying.

“Once you’ve seen a doctor, we’ll get you settled in and you’ll see it’s not…..” he stops, when he realizes that he had been about it say _it’s not so bad_. But that isn’t exactly a ringing endorsement for living at the compound. “The gym is top notch,” he says lamely instead. And what else can he say? _The food’s good?_ It is and there’s plenty of it, but that hardly makes a compelling reason to stay when Bucky clearly doesn’t want to.

There is really only one reason that Steve can think of that may hold any weight with him at all and it feels so incredibly selfish and manipulative, but he says it anyway. “I’d just feel better with you nearby. I know its not easy and I’m not going to lie and say it won’t be uncomfortable, but I can’t let you be taken from me again.”

Steve glances over, but all he can see is Bucky’s profile as the man stares out the window. “Bucky-“

“I’m going alright! I’m in the car. I didn’t fight you. I’ll stay at the compound. Can we not talk about this anymore?” Bucky’s tone is sharp, but his eyes never waver off the road ahead.

“You did fight me a little….” Steve sulks quietly from the driver’s seat and Bucky can’t quite hold back a snort of laughter, even if it is followed by another pained gasp.

The room Steve puts Bucky in is nice. And right next to his own. Which is fine. But as soon as he is out of Steve’s sight for more than a couple of minutes, he goes in search of a different room, as far away from anyone else as possible. Of course, Steve is hurt. But he lets it go without further comment once Bucky explains that being in such close quarters with so many other people makes him profoundly uncomfortable.

Bucky tries to settle in. He spars with Steve and sometimes Thor. He uses the shooting range, goes for runs. Does not use the gym. Avoids Tony Stark at all costs. He debates going back to Wakanda, but quickly realizes that what he wants, is a new start. Not to be Bucky Barnes, or a Howling Commando fighting alongside Captain America, or a wounded soldier, or a science experiment, or a brainwashed assassin. He doesn’t want to be a broken man recovering from decades of torture. He doesn’t want to live in his friend’s shadow or under his protection. He also doesn’t know exactly what he does want, but he certainly has a long list of things that he doesn’t.

 

He can’t be sure what woke him up, but Bucky rolls off the couch and on to the floor on instinct. He lays there, perfectly still, listening. And there is nothing. Or almost nothing. If pressed, Bucky wouldn’t be able to describe what keeps him flush to the ground, taking in shallow breaths, body tensed and coiled to spring in to action. He just knows there is something.

“How long are you planning on laying there?” comes an amused voice from behind the couch.

“What the? Ow!” Bucky jerks his head up, hitting the bottom of the coffee table.

Slowly, Bucky rises to a sitting position, scanning the area for threats other than the dark haired man leaning with his back against the bar top, arms crossed over his chest and a wry smile on his face.

“I was not aware you were back James,” he says as he straightens and walks over to sprawl in a large leather chair next to the couch.

Bucky gets up and returns to his spot. “I could say the same about you.”

Loki only hums in agreement before picking up the TV remote and flipping through the channels. They have only spoken on a few occasions after everyone was brought back. Bucky was already living at Steve’s apartment by the time Loki gave Steve the gauntlet and left for where ever it was that he always went off to. But Bucky was around him enough that he got the sense that Loki was a hard guy to read, someone who kept most parts of himself hidden. He can respect that.

 

Weeks later Bucky is watching a movie when he looks over at Loki. “So where do you go?”

“Hmmm?”

“When you’re not just popping in to hang out and watch TV with me?”

The way Loki’s face scrunches up, like the very idea leaves a bad taste in his mouth, the way Steve’s used to when Bucky would force him to take a particularly disgusting medicine, almost makes Bucky laugh.

“I do not come here to hang out with you.” The words are snapped out, but there is no anger, just a sort of embarrassed chagrin.

Bucky gives a smile, wide and charming and innocent, the one that used to work on all the dames, “no, of course not, you come here to ask about Steve.”

He laughs when he thinks about some of the conversations he and Loki have had over the past few visits.

_“Is this the type of movie the Captain enjoys?”_

_“What do you think? Would the Captain approve of this behavior?_ ” Asked as he gestures a long fingered hand towards a news program on the TV.

 _“He looks tired. Is he not resting enough?_ ” A remark after watching Steve and the others trudge in after another mission, on one of those rare occasions Loki didn’t leave before they arrived home.

 _“This show is ridiculous._ ” Loki huffs at the cartoon rabbit on the screen. _“I can hardly stand to watch it.”_

 _“I dunno, Steve sure likes it.”_ That gets Loki’s attention. Suddenly the show seems a lot more interesting to the dark haired god.

And on one memorable occasion, “ _who does the Captain spend time with, when not with you?_ ”

“I do not! I am merely trying to make conversation, since you seem to lack the ability to come up with a suitable topic on your own!”

This time Bucky does laugh. The look of utter affront on Loki’s face is completely hilarious and he can’t help himself.

“C’mon, admit it Loki. You don’t ask those types of questions about me.”

“I have no need to ask. You love Looney Tunes. You’ve only watched four of the movies programed on your TV. You read fan fiction on your phone at night and you eat Captain Crunch cereal by the handful, which frankly, I find disturbing. Although I’m sure there couldn’t possibly be any underlying meaning behind that.”

“First of all-“

“You also sleep on the floor most nights, clean your weapons every morning, carry at least one knife on you at all times and you refuse to drink coffee that you did not personally make.”

Loki crosses his arms over his chest and raises one elegantly curved eyebrow at Bucky, who just picks up the box of cereal sitting on the couch and defiantly shakes out a handful before popping it into his mouth.

 

Bucky is standing in the kitchen, making himself a sandwich when he is shoved forcefully down on the ground, a heavy weight pinning him there. Instinctively, he rolls while simultaneously reaching for a weapon. He has a knife held to his attacker’s neck, heart pounding furiously in his chest as his brain tries to process what has just happened.

“James! Put that away before you hurt yourself!” A voice barely above a whisper, hisses.

“What the hell Loki?” Bucky hisses back in protest as he eases the knife back.

“They’re here. Just outside.” At the question on Bucky’s face, he continues. “Those that pursue you. They have come.” He turns his head and Bucky follows his gaze up to where there is a set of three, quarter inch holes piercing the wall just beyond where Bucky had been standing.

Bucky doesn’t respond right away. He needs a moment to think. Weapons? One gun with extra clip on him. Plus the knife in his hand. And one irritated looking Asgardian. Enemy combatants? Unknown number. Based on past attempts, high probability of at least ten. Location? At least one outside the East facing windows. Objective? Bucky looks at the bullet holes again and has to conclude that this group is willing to settle for a kill rather than capture.

The power shuts off, pitching them into darkness and Bucky moves, intending to use the darkness to cover his escape. Loki pushes him back down with a stern look, holding him with one hand firmly on his chest.

“Stop moving.”

“We need to go,” Bucky insists.

“Shhhh…..” Loki closes his eyes and takes a breath. Then scans around the room, what little he can see from the floor. “There are six approaching from the East, outside. Eight already inside headed this way from the common room. And an unknown number coming from the control center.”

Bucky can’t help but be impressed. “You can pick that up with your magic?”

Huffing out a quiet laugh, Loki tells him, “no you idiot. I can see their flashlights.”

Cheeks burning with embarrassment Bucky snaps, “how was I supposed to know? You’ve got me pinned on my back. I can’t see a thing!”

Loki just gives Bucky an exasperated look and moves to the side, muttering, “can I pick it up with my magic? What am I? Some sort of Jedi?”

“Never should have shown you that movie,” Bucky grumbles from beside him.

“Probably not,” Loki agrees with a shrug.

Bucky does a quick scan of the area to assess the situation. “Okay, I’ll take the control center, you take the common room.”

When Loki doesn’t argue, which frankly surprises Bucky, he continues, “stay low to avoid the sniper. Got it?”

Loki looks at him blankly. “Now where’s the fun in that?”

Before Bucky can react, he is up. Bucky can see the impacts from the snipers bullets as they bounce off some type of energy shield around the god. A flick of his wrists and there is a set of flechettes splayed between the fingers of each hand. Taking that as his queue, Bucky draws his gun, and runs towards the control center.

There are five men and one woman left for dead in the hallway and just outside the control room door by the time Bucky makes his way there. Three of them he shot, two of them he stabbed and the last man, Bucky broke his neck when the guy thought he was tough enough to take him on hand to hand. Which as far as Bucky is concerned was a stupid move, especially since this group obviously meant to collect on the bounty for killing him.

The door to the control center is sitting open by a few inches and so Bucky creeps forward until he is able to see inside. He was expecting it, but seeing the bodies of the control room staff on the ground, stops him in his tracks.

This had been one of his biggest fears, that innocent people would suffer because of him. Bucky has seen death, he has taken lives, he has witnessed and been subject to untold horrors. But these people showed up to work at what should be one of the safest places around. The place where the Avengers live. This never should have happened and Bucky can feel his stomach twist. This is all his fault.

“I know what you’re thinking.”

Bucky jumps at the voice and turns around to glare at Loki.

“You think this is your fault.” Loki walks further in the room, carefully stepping over bodies. “But you did not kill these people.”

The spike of anger Bucky feels is so intense that he has to take a moment to think before responding. Loki just makes his way around the room, running his fingers over work stations, turning a body over to look closer at a wound.

“This would not have happened if I wasn’t here. I told Steve this was a bad idea.”

Loki hums in agreement, “then this is the Captain’s fault. Not yours.”

Bucky’s head jerks as though he has been slapped. “No it’s not! How can you say that? Steve was just trying to protect me. It’s not his fault these guys keep coming.”

Dusting his hands across the thighs of his leather pants, Loki straightens up and gives Bucky a knowing look, “and its not your fault either. But, if you are so anxious to place blame, I suggest we look for who ever was working at this station.” He points to one of the computer terminals that has several monitors set up to watch the perimeter of the compound.

“Shit,” Bucky curses as he takes another look around the room, noticing for the first time that there are seven bodies and eight stations. “We don’t even know who we’re supposed to be looking for.”

Loki smiles brightly and it looks completely out of place, given their surroundings. He walks over to the door and pulls a piece of paper down. “According to this we should have an Allison, a Trevor, a Michael, a Kevin, a Jose, a Kimberly, a Joseph and a Julian.” He checks the security badges on each of the bodies and then tells Bucky, “it would seem, we are looking for Allison Owens.”

“Alright…” Bucky says slowly as he looks around the room before sitting at one of the computer stations and typing in a few commands. “She swiped her badge at the armory three minutes ago.”

This time Loki’s smile is slightly predatory and Bucky has to admit, it’s a good look on him.

 

The armory is back in the direction of the common area, so they cautiously head that way, going past the bodies that Bucky left in the hallway and the ones that Loki left everywhere else.

“Geez Loki,” Bucky whispers as he takes in the mess in the common room. “Was this-

“Longing….Rusted….Furnace”

“Barnes?” Loki looks at Bucky.

“Daybreak…..Seventeen…”

“Bucky!” Loki hisses trying to get the other man’s attention. All he gets is a slight flick of his eyes, a minute jerk of his head and a flex of Bucky’s left hand as it opens, then closes, then opens again at his side.

“Benign….Nine…”

Loki looks around to find the source of the words, but he can’t see anyone. The voice is female though, so he has to assume they have found Allison.

“Homecoming.” There is a pause when nothing happens. “Soldat?”

Bucky doesn’t move, just stares straight ahead. “Ready to comply.”

A petite blond woman steps around the corner from where the residential rooms are located.

“You have to know I won’t let you leave here with him,” Loki tells her as he starts to circle around the room, putting distance between himself and Bucky.

“I guess that depends on you. I can either take him after he kills you, or I collect the bounty when you kill him. I still get paid.” She shrugs as though they are talking about the weather and Loki is sorely tempted to just kill her and be done with it. He just needs a little more.

And in true villain fashion, she gives it to him. “I’d prefer to have him alive, but now that there isn’t anyone left to split the money with, dead is fine too.”

Loki doesn’t bother to respond, he just thrusts his hand out, flinging three of his flechettes, killing her instantly.

“Well that was anticlimactic,” Bucky complains.

Rolling his eyes, Loki walks over and retrieves his flechettes then uses his magic to make them disappear. “She wasn’t worth any more effort. Did she really think your programming was still in place? Idiocy.”

Bucky can’t argue with that and so he doesn’t even try.

“We should probably try to clean some of this up before the Captain gets back,” Loki says, lip curling up in distaste.

“Bucky! What happened? Are you alright?”

“Right on cue,” Bucky mutters. “Its like you summoned him.” He turns and looks at Steve, who is standing in the hallway, shield held in front of his body. “I’m fine Steve,” he sighs.

 

It takes over an hour for Bucky to go over his statement repeatedly, as though it was going to change with each retelling. He had refused to go into one of the offices to do it, instead he insisted on sitting in the kitchen and forcing himself to watch as each body was taken from the control room. Those seven people died because of him and he cannot turn away and pretend like it didn’t happen.

When the last body is taken out and Bucky has told his story twelve times, he gets up and starts to head towards his room. Steve jumps up to follow him, but is stopped by Loki’s hand on his arm.

“Captain, I do not think Barnes would appreciate your hovering right now. I think it best to leave him be.”

Steve looks down at his arm where Loki is still gripping him, then back at Bucky before finally settling a frustrated glare on the dark haired god. “I can’t leave him alone. He’ll take off. He’s going to blame himself and then take off.”

Loki is fairly certain that the Captain may be right, but he knows that even if he stays close to Bucky, the former assassin will slip away at the first opportunity. And the thing is, Loki likes Bucky, would even consider him a friend. So he finds himself offering, “let me talk to him. I may be able to help.”

“Alright.” Steve takes a slow breath and then lets it out. “Okay. Talk to him. I need to keep him safe and being out there on his own isn’t going to do that.”

“I think this is something we can both agree on then Captain.” Loki pulls his hand back and heads down the hall to Bucky’s room.

He knocks on the door to Bucky’s room and immediately hears, “go away Steve.”

“It’s not Steve,” Loki answers, trying not to get distracted by how odd the Captain’s name feels on his tongue. He waits a beat and when Bucky doesn’t open the door, he simply uses his magic to unlock it and go inside.

Bucky continues stuffing items into a backpack so Loki just sits leisurely down on the couch to watch him. At first, Bucky ignores him, but the longer Loki sits there, the more unnerving it becomes.

“I’m not staying,” he finally says, just to break the silence.

“You don’t have to stay,” Loki agrees. He waits a moment before asking, “where do you plan on going?”

And that stops Bucky short. He doesn’t know where he’s going. He just knows he needs to go.

“I may be able to help you,” Loki says, voice pitched low as though he is afraid someone might overhear. “I can take you with me. To my home.”

“I can’t do that Loki. I’d be putting you in constant danger. These people aren’t going to stop coming.”

“First of all, I’m not concerned about my safety. Second, I am fairly certain, you will not be found, unless you want to be.”

The absolute conviction with which Loki speaks makes Bucky put his bag down and turn around to face him. “Tell me about it.”

 

They find Steve sitting at the kitchen island with a cup of coffee held in his hands. ”You’re leaving.” It’s a statement, rather than a question. And he sounds resigned, defeated.

“He will be safe,” Loki tells him.

Steve stiffens, his entire body reacting to the implication that somehow Loki can keep Bucky safe when he cannot. He bites back the retort on his lips and instead looks down at the rapidly cooling coffee in his hands.

“Can I at least know where you’re going?”

Bucky sits down next to him and pulls the cup away, “of course. I was actually hoping you’d come with me.”

Steve looks up at Bucky sharply. “Buck, I’m needed here. I can’t just go off and….. and….” He trails off, unsure how to complete that sentence.

“Yeah, I know,” Bucky mutters. He isn’t really even sure why he said it. He knew Steve would refuse. Maybe it was just wishful thinking.

“At least come with us tomorrow. You can see for yourself that your Bucky will be safe. You can return any time you like.” Bucky has to admit that for the god of mischief, Loki can sometimes be a very calming presence and he appreciates that now more than ever.

 

 


	3. The Captain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter features another amazing piece of artwork by RenneMichaels

 

**Chapter 3**

**The Captain**

 

When Loki reaches out and takes both Steve and Bucky by the arm, Steve isn’t sure what’s going on. He isn’t prepared for the way his body feels like it’s inverting on itself or for the undignified squawk that comes out of his mouth.

As soon as Steve has his feet back underneath him and no longer feels like the contents of his breakfast may make a reappearance, he looks around. They are standing on a cliff over looking a city below and for reasons he can’t quite explain, his heart speeds up and his stomach twists again. This isn’t right. Something is definitely not right here.

“What is this place,” Steve asks while Bucky looks around in awe. Golden light reflects off tall spires atop a gleaming palace in the distance. He can see greenery dotted along the landscape, lush and full of color. There are people, houses, an outdoor market.

Steve sees it too. What he doesn’t see are signs of a recovering people, like he does everywhere else on Earth. And that seems wrong somehow. He opens his mouth to ask Loki about it, but stops when the god speaks.

“This is Asgard,” he says.

There is a smile on his face, wistful and soft, but his eyes show something Steve can’t quite place and his stance is defensive, almost defiant. The blonde’s stomach twists again as he jerks his head back to look over the land.

“I thought Asgard was destroyed?”

“It was-“

“Then what is this?” Steve whirls around on Loki, cutting him off. 

“As I said, this is Asgard.”

Steve waits for an explanation, casting a nervous glance over at Bucky who is standing too close to the edge for his comfort. When none is forthcoming, he asks, “what did you do?”

“I brought it back. The land, the people. I used the gauntlet and gave my people their home back.”

Steve’s can feel his chest tighten and his stomach drop as he tries to make sense of what Loki is telling him.

“Loki, you can’t… You can’t just do that.” Steve is in shock. Loki has recreated an entire world. “It’s not right.”

“How is this not right? My people were all killed, my home destroyed and I fixed it,” Loki hisses. 

“Because its not! You can’t just make decisions about life and death like that!”

“Why not? You did! I restored an entire world. Just as I restored yours.”

Loki’s stance is defensive, hands held up in front of his body as though he expects an attack. But his expression, he looks almost wounded.

“You would have razed an entire world, burned it to the ground for just one man.” His eyes flick over to Bucky as though Steve needs to be reminded of his presence. “Look at him and then tell me it isn’t so.”

Steve flinches back, suddenly tired and hurt by the accusation. But he cannot deny it and doesn’t even attempt to try. There is little he would not have done to keep Bucky safe. He looks out at the city again. “It’s not the same Loki.” 

“Why? Because the loss of your people was somehow greater than the loss of mine? Was your grief greater than mine? Than Thor’s?”

And that’s an entire issue all on its own. Steve can tell by the way Loki averts his gaze that he is hiding something and he’s afraid he knows what it is. “You didn’t tell him. He’s Asgard’s king and you didn’t bother to tell him.” He doesn’t have the energy to raise his voice any more. “Take us back. You just…… take us back.”

Bucky enjoys the feeling of the sun on his face and the breeze in his hair for just another moment. And then he reluctantly turns back, “Steve, stop being an asshole.”

“What?” Steve can’t decide if he is irritated at Bucky or angry at him for calling him out like that.

“You heard me. Stop. Being. An. Asshole.”

“This doesn’t concern you Bucky,” Steve snaps and then immediately regrets it. 

“The hell it doesn’t. You go back if you want, but I’m staying.”

Loki and Bucky can both see the way Steve squares up his shoulders, preparing to dig his heels in and fight. 

“What’s done is done. It is not as though I can take it all back and undo this. And I would not. Not even for you Captain.”

Steve’s brows furrow in confusion and his shoulders slump, too overwhelmed to ask what Loki means and not sure he wants to know anyway. 

“You have to tell Thor,” Steve tells him. It comes out as almost a plea. He’s exhausted and doesn’t know the right thing to do anymore. 

“Come Captain. I will take you back.” It’s not an agreement to talk to Thor, but not a refusal either.

Steve allows Loki to take his arm. He glances over in time to see the disappointed look on Bucky’s face, before his stomach inverts once again.

Loki brings them to the door leading to Steve’s room. “Captain, I-“

“No. What ever you’re about to say, I don’t want to hear it,” Steve growls at him. “Talk to Thor. He needs to know. And then….. then maybe we can talk….”

 

Loki has been standing outside the door to Thor's room for fifteen minutes, arguing with himself about forgetting this entire thing and going back to Asgard. It wouldn’t be unreasonable for him to check on how Bucky has settled in after Loki went back and took him to the palace. Every time he has himself convinced and starts to walk away though, he thinks about the disappointed look that will be on the Captain’s face if he does. Or worse, the angry unforgiving one. 

Grumbling to himself, Loki knocks on the door before he can back out or waste another fifteen minutes trying to figure out why he even cares what the Captain thinks.

As soon as Thor opens the door and gives Loki that big goofy grin, he knows why he has to do this. And for the first time, he has doubts about whether recreating Asgard was a good idea after all.

Not to say that he hasn't had doubts prior to this. But those were more about his fitness to rule. He knows he did a decent job under the guise of Odin. But before that? When he was king in his own right? He worries that if Thor decides he still wants the throne, the people of Asgard will happily and rightfully hand it to him. As he looks at his brother, he wonders if maybe they should.

Loki paces around the room while Thor sprawls comfortably in a large leather chair. The blonde god had given up on small talk after his first few questions went largely ignored. Now he just watches Loki stalk back and forth with a mixture of fondness and amusement on his face. 

“What vexes you brother?”

Loki pauses only long enough to glare at Thor and then resumes his circuit around the room, finally stopping in front of the window. Thor has to grin at Loki’s sense of the dramatic as he stands with his back ramrod straight, hands clasped behind him. He does however, make sure his expression is completely blank when Loki glances back at him.

He doesn’t hold his gaze, instead shifts back to looking out the window, but he is able to see Thor’s reflection in the glass. “I have something to tell you.”

Thor pushes down the urge to sit up straighter in his chair at Loki’s tone. It is one he remembers well. The one he used to tell Thor that Lady Sif was not interested in his courtship. The one that told Thor of the devastating fire in the stables. The one he used to say one of the warriors under his command had succumbed to his injuries. This was a tone that Thor never wanted to hear from Loki again.

And yet here they are, Loki poised to say something that will surely cause Thor pain. “What ever it is….” He trails off as Loki takes a deep breath and turns to face him.

“I think it may be best to show you.”

There is a tightness in Thor’s chest that has been there since Loki stepped foot into his room and now it threatens to squeeze the air from his lungs. “Of course.” When Loki doesn’t respond Thor asks, “do you wish to go now?”

 _No._ “Yes, we should go now. Let me inform the Captain.”

Thor isn’t sure what Steve has to do with this, unless Loki had been visiting with him before coming to see Thor. It had not escaped his notice that Loki seemed fond of Steve.

When Steve opens his door to Loki’s knock, he is relieved to see Thor standing beside him. But that is short lived when Loki speaks, “Captain, I have decided it would be best to show Thor rather than tell him. And I figured you may want to accompany us.”

Steve isn’t sure he wants to go back to Asgard. He is certain he doesn’t want to get wrapped up in any family issues between Loki and Thor though. The only reason he steps out of his room and follows behind Loki is because he realized in his anger, he didn’t say goodbye to Bucky.

Loki leads Thor and Steve out to an open space on the vast lawn. Steve is expecting Loki to take his arm again to teleport them, but instead he looks directly at Thor and says, “Heimdall, open the bifrost.”

There is just enough time for Thor to draw his eyebrows together in confusion, “Loki?” And then they are engulfed in light. 

The sensation is almost like flying and Steve can’t help himself from gawking at all the colors streaming by. A smile creeps across his face as he thinks about how much Bucky would love this. But before he knows it, he is stumbling out of the lights to stand in front of a dark skinned man who is holding the hilt of a large sword.

“Loki? What is the meaning of this?” Thor whispers. His voice is a mixture of hope, hurt and anger.

It is Heimdall who answers, “Loki has brought us home Thor.” He gestures out towards the rainbow bridge where the golden palace stands shining against the sun light.

There are several seconds of stunned silence before Heimdall says anything again. “Go,” he tells Thor gently. “Asgard awaits you.” When Thor hesitates, he adds, “We will talk later.”

Thor is uncharacteristically subdued as they walk along the bridge towards the palace. The silence is tense and uncomfortable and so Steve finds himself babbling questions just to fill it. And if he happens to get some of the answers that he wants from Loki as well…. He can’t be faulted for that. 

“The people that you brought back, what, uh….. time period were they from?”

Loki flashes a look of annoyance, but still answers. “this is from just after Thor and I left to find Odin on Midgard.”

“So do they know that Odin is gone?”

This time Loki purses his lips and frowns, “yes, they know.”

“Where do they think Thor has been all this time?” 

“On Midgard.”

Steve falls silent as they approach the palace, overwhelmed by the shear size and beauty of it. No matter what else he may think, Asgard is stunning. Bucky is standing outside waiting for them and Steve greets him with a one armed hug. It has only been a few hours, but Steve feels a little sheepish for the way he behaved earlier. 

“Wasn’t expecting to see you back so soon,” Bucky tells him.

“Yeah, well,” Steve raises his hand and rubs the back of his neck, “I was angry…..” he trails off as Thor breaks away from the group and runs up to the palace entrance flinging himself into the arms of a group of three men and a woman.

“Who’re they?” Bucky asks as he notes the way Loki’s jaw tenses watching the reunion.

“Sif, and the warriors three." The derisive tone of his voice draws Steve’s attention as well. “Thor’s closest friends since childhood.”

“I take it they aren’t your friends then?” Bucky asks. 

Steve notices the way Bucky’s stance changes. The way he shifts to stand almost in front of Loki protectively. He is very familiar with that stance, having seen it so many times over the years. The difference here is that Loki is not some ninety pound asthmatic without enough sense to back down from a fight. 

As they watch Thor disappear inside the palace with his friends, Bucky speaks up, “well that was rude.”

Loki huffs a soft laugh and beckons for Steve and Bucky to follow him. “I think a little leeway can be given. I am sure being reunited with your best friends after believing them to be dead must be quite overwhelming.” His eyes dart over to Steve briefly and then he looks away, leading them around the side of the palace rather than follow after Thor.

 

Hours later, after Loki has shown Bucky and Steve his favorite parts of Asgard, his mother’s garden, the lake shore, the outdoor markets, they are standing on a large balcony overlooking the city below. Steve has an understanding of just how much Loki loves Asgard and its people. He also understands a little more of he god’s motivation for recreating his world. 

“I’m going to go hunt down some food,” Bucky announces, flashing a sly look between Loki and Steve. 

“I don’t-“ Steve starts at the same time that Loki says, “That is not necessary-“

“Sure it is!” Bucky grins before turning on his heel and heading out at a brisk pace. 

Loki glances quickly at Steve and then looks out over the city. “It would seem James feels that we should talk.”

“Yeah,” Steve exhales loudly and pointedly looks away. When he does turn back, his cheeks are tinged pink. “I wanted to thank you. For doing this for Bucky.”

“There is no need,” Loki tells him as he inches slightly closer to Steve. “I find him tolerable company and it would be inconvenient if something were to happen to him.”

Steve laughs and then falls silent again. 

After a few minutes where neither one of them speak, Loki clears his throat, “when I learned that Asgard was gone, along with its people, at first it pleased me.”

Steve jerks beside him, but doesn’t respond.

“I had learned of my true nature, my entire life was a lie and I was filled with rage.” He takes a slow breath. “And shame,” he adds quietly. “I wanted to destroy everything. I tried to. But even in that, I was lacking. And then I fell into Thanos’ hands. A perfect vessel to be molded, remade. For me, that was only months ago, but for the Loki that died trying to save his brother….. I have not lived his life. But I want to be the man that he was becoming.”

He looks over at Steve, but only for a moment, uncomfortable under the blonde’s intense gaze. 

“Why did you keep this from Thor?”

Loki releases the railing he has been clutching and walks along the balcony to look down at his mother’s gardens. “I am by nature an impulsive, jealous creature and quick to doubt my own worth. Especially when stood next to my brother.”

He waves a hand and creates an image of two young boys. One blonde, stocky and strong with shining blue eyes. The other; smaller, slender appearing pale and almost sickly, with dark hair and green eyes that Steve would recognize anywhere. For a moment Steve imagines it is him and Bucky standing there and he understands exactly what Loki means. 

“Asgard loves Thor,” Loki huffs a small laugh, “everyone loves Thor. And I began to fear that with his return, there would no longer be a place for me in Asgard’s heart.”

Steve walks over to stand beside Loki, leaving only a whisper of space between them. “I don’t think Thor would allow that to happen. He loves you. He was devastated when you died.” Steve’s mouth turns down as an eyebrow twitches up. “Again.”

Whether Loki picks up on the irony, he doesn’t say. He only hums noncommittally. “It is easy for me to forget that Thor has changed in much the way that my future self did, even if I have witnessed it with my own eyes.” There is a slight pause, “I suppose I have you to thank for reminding me of that.”

Steve turns his head so fast that their shoulders brush together, but he doesn’t pull away, instead he chooses to maintain the contact. “What did I do?’

There is a gleam in Loki’s eye that makes Steve’s stomach feel warm and squirmy all at the same time. “Just a taste of your righteous indignation was enough to set me straight Captain.”

 

Steve is sitting in the common room idly flipping through channels on the TV when a bright flash of light indicates the arrival of someone over the bifrost. He is immediately on his feet and heading towards the door, heart pounding in his chest. It’s been six weeks since Bucky went to stay on Asgard and even though Steve has been back at least once a week to visit, he is still anxious and excited. 

Briefly, it occurs to him that it may not be Bucky coming to visit. And the more Steve thinks about it, the more he realizes it probably wouldn’t make sense for Bucky to come back to the compound. His next thought is that it must be Loki. And that makes Steve’s heart race, but in a different way, that he definitely refuses to examine. 

When the blinding light finally dissipates, Steve can see that it is Thor standing in the middle of the intricate pattern scorched onto the lawn. That surprises Steve a little because the blonde god hasn’t been back to Earth since Loki first took him to Asgard. And then it makes him worry. What if something happened to Bucky? Or Loki? He finds himself running down the slight slope in the grass to meet Thor.

“Is everything ok?” he asks.

For a moment, Thor looks confused and then he smiles brightly. “Of course Captain. Bucky and my brother are well. Bucky sends his greetings and says he looks forward to besting you on the training grounds when next you visit.”

Steve gives a relieved sigh and then chuckles because he is fairly certain that those weren’t quite the words Bucky would have used. “So what brings you back?”

Thor blinks at him and tilts his head slightly. “I live here.” He gesture towards the compound and starts walking. Steve falls in step beside him.

“I thought you would be staying on Asgard, you’re their King.”

“Why don’t we go inside and have a drink,” Thor suggests, pulling a flask out from a pouch at his waist, holding it up for Steve to see. “I brought back a wonderful Asgardian mead"

Steve follows Thor inside. Instead of stopping in the common room, Thor detours through the kitchen, grabbing two glasses on the way and then leads Steve to his own room. He settles on the couch and pours two glasses of amber liquid from the flask, handing one to Steve. 

“Ask your questions Captain,” Thor invites as he takes a sip of his drink, smiling warmly.

“I thought you were going to stay there.” He didn’t mean for it come out sounding blunt.

Thor looks thoughtful as he swirls his drink. “I love Asgard, it will always be my home, but I truly believe that I belong here.”

“But you’re Asgard’s King.”

Thor’s expression falls and he takes another quick drink. “For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be King. It was my birthright and I was so confident, so arrogant. But now……”

“So you’re just going to walk away from your people?” Steve cuts him off.

“Of course not. I will be back on Asgard often. As often as I need to be.”

Steve nods and swallows the last of his drink. “What about Loki?”

Thor laughs softly, “Loki does best when not beneath my shadow.” 

When Steve walks out of Thor’s room, he is full of more questions than when he started. He makes his way to his own room for the night and tries to put all thoughts of Asgard out of his head.  


 

When Steve turned up at his door step in the morning, Sam knew something was on his mind. Now, they have been sitting for the better part of an hour watching the coffee in Steve’s mug go from hot, to warm, to cool, until it has reached its current state of disgustingly cold.

Sam is patient though. He can wait. 

When Steve does finally speak, the words come stumbling and halting, but they do come. Sam catches most of it, Steve’s fear, his outrage, his hope and something else. Something that sounds an awful lot like guilt. 

“You don’t think Thor is abandoning his people?” Steve asks and Sam notes his body language. Closed off, guarded. As though he is afraid of the answer. 

_Ah, there it is,_ Sam thinks to himself. Out loud he says, “I don’t think that’s what you really want to know.” He grabs Steve’s mug and dumps the cold coffee in the sink, then takes a couple of beers from the refrigerator, handing one to Steve after twisting off the cap.

The blonde accepts the bottle, fingers picking at the label. He won’t meet Sam’s gaze as shifts uncomfortably in his chair, looking like a child caught doing something bad. 

“I think you’re asking if you would be abandoning yours.”

Sam watches as Steve opens and closes his mouth several times, but the blonde doesn’t say anything. Instead he brings the bottle to his lips and drinks half of it in one go. And that is an answer in itself.

“Do you remember, all those years ago, when I asked you what makes you happy?”

Steve gives a minute nod, the only indication that he is listening.

“And you said you didn’t know.” This time there is no nod, only a distinct downturn at the corners of Steve’s mouth. “Well, maybe its time for you figure that out.”

 


	4. The King

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final chapter for our contribution to the CARBB2019 featuring two more pieces of fantastic artwork by RenneMichaels

**Chapter 4**

**The King**

 

Steve ends up avoiding Asgard for the next three weeks. He rarely leaves the compound, and the lack of activity gives him plenty of time to think. It doesn’t really help.

The light from the bifrost through his window draws him out of his room. He knows Thor has gone out with Natasha and Sam on another mission. Steve had offered to go, just as he has for every mission since his last trip to Asgard, but once again, he was reassured that there was no need. If he were a suspicious man, he might wonder about that, but he isn’t. He is smart enough to know that his friends are trying to give him time and space to think.

Mentally preparing himself for Bucky’s irritation at him for not visiting, Steve finds himself jogging down to the bifrost site, but stops short when he sees Loki standing there instead of Bucky.

Before he can say anything, Loki has a hand held up to silence him. “James has not been harmed.”

Steve takes a breath and wills his racing heart to slow down. Before he can really think about what Loki means, the god continues. “He will not admit it, but your absence has caused him some concern that something may have happened to you.”

“Oh,” Steve says lamely. “So he asked you to come check on me?”

Loki’s eyes roam over Steve’s body, gaze weighted and almost palpable on the blonde’s skin. “I came on my own. I wanted to see for myself, whatever it is that has kept you from visiting your dearest friend. Based on how much James means to you, it must be something of extreme importance.”

Steve can feel his cheeks heat in response and he looks down at his feet where the toe of his left shoe is digging into the grass. When he answers, he can’t bring himself to look Loki in the face as he lies, “I’ve just been busy.”

A small hum is all he gets in response.

“I was planning on going tomorrow!” He adds hastily, internally wincing at the second lie.

Another hum and Steve gets the distinct feeling of disapproval coming from the god. “Whatever it is that has kept you away…..” Loki trails off, sounding uncharacteristically uncertain. But then he adds with more confidence, “James misses you.” He stares at Steve, something in Loki’s expression that he can’t pick out and not for the first time, Steve wishes he were better at reading people.  “Heimdall, if you will.”

And then he is gone is a burst of light and color.

 

Loki’s visit sat heavy in Steve’s stomach all night and so after exchanging a series of ridiculously early messages with Sam, he is up with the first light, calling on Heimdall, with a large bag slung over his shoulder.

This time, instead of the usual overnight trip, he is planning on staying for a full week. But has packed enough to stay closer to two weeks, he’s telling himself its so he can leave a set of clothes in his room at the palace to make going back and forth easier.

His first stop is to drop off his bag and then he heads straight to the training grounds. As expected he finds Bucky. What he didn’t expect was to find Loki sparring with him. Steve watches quietly for several minutes as the men face off. He is not the only one, as a crowd has gathered around. Bucky moves fluidly, using his bulk and size to his advantage, while Loki…… he moves in a way that Steve is drawn to. His body is graceful and lithe as he practically dances around Bucky.

Steve can see the way Bucky’s eyes follow Loki’s every move. Only the fact that he has known Bucky for so long allows him to see his friend’s move before he makes it. Loki however does not and ends up flat on his back with Bucky’s weight pressing down on him. The spectators fall silent waiting to see what Loki will do.

Surprisingly, what he does, is laugh. “I yield,” he chuckles in between breathes.

Bucky rolls off of him and flops down on to the ground with a grin on his face. He is breathing hard and his face is beaded with sweat, but he looks genuinely happy. Loki climbs to his feet and offers Bucky a hand up while the crowd dissipates now that the show is over. With most of the spectators gone, Bucky spots Steve standing at the edge of the training ring.

For just a second, Steve is certain he sees Bucky frown, but then it is gone, replaced by the blank gaze that Steve associates with the Winter Soldier. He doesn’t like it, but Steve knows this is Bucky’s way of hiding how hurt he is.

“Captain, how good of you to visit,” Loki greets. Steve frowns in irritation when Loki doesn’t even attempt to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

“Hey buck,” he address his friend, choosing to ignore Loki for the moment because that is a distraction Steve doesn’t need right now.

“Stevie,” Bucky says. His tone is low, guarded. “I wasn’t sure if you were coming back.” And barbed.

“Of course I came back.” Steve keeps his voice even knowing Bucky is just hurt, not truly angry. “I had some things I needed to work out.” He wishes he could kick himself for not being able to stop his eyes from drifting over to Loki when he says this.

Bucky glances over at Loki and then back to Steve. “Okay.” He gives a bright smile that Steve can see is just a little brittle around the edges. “I get bored with only Loki to entertain me.”

Loki huffs beside him, “well then, it’s a good thing the Captain is here.” Loki smirks at Bucky and then turns to Steve, “if you will excuse me, I have students to attend to.”

 

“What did Loki mean by having students to attend to?” Steve asks as he sketches the view from the balcony of Bucky’s room later that afternoon.

Bucky looks amused as he answers, “so you’re not gonna believe this, but Loki is teaching magic to a bunch of kids.”

“Kids?” Steve’s face scrunches up as he tries to picture Loki surrounded by a bunch of kids all clamoring for his attention. “He’s teaching kids?”

“I know. I didn’t believe it either until I saw it. He’s actually got a way with them. Real patient.”

“Huh,” Steve responds as though he still can’t believe it.

“He acts like its such a bother too, but don’t let him fool you. The classes were his idea.” Bucky grins over at Steve. “Gives him something to do where he feels like he’s making a difference, doing something good ya know?”

Steve nods, knowing exactly what Bucky means.

“Speaking of….it’s time for me to make my rounds, you wanna come along?” Bucky asks as he wanders back inside his room, pulling his shirt off over his head.

Setting his sketch book aside, Steve follows him, “rounds?”

Bucky continues to undress. He pulls on a set of black pants and a high necked tactical shirt, also black with a star with intricate silver detailing. He pulls on a set of leather cross hatched, knee high boots, then buckles on a belt and hip holster. The overall look is very similar to the tactical gear Bucky has worn in the past, but has a subtle Asgardian flare to it. Overall, Steve likes it and tells Bucky so.

“Yeah, so I’ve been helping out with training the younger warriors, mostly in hand to hand. I go out every afternoon and work with them for a few hours. After that, I do a security sweep of the entire palace,” Bucky shrugs as though its no big deal.

“Do you like doing that?” Steve asks cautiously.

“Yeah, actually I do.”

 

They fall into a bit of a routine for the next week. Steve spars with Bucky and sometimes Loki joins in the mornings, after lunch he helps Bucky train the warriors and then accompanies him on his security sweeps. In their down time, they visit the market, go swimming in the lake, spend time in the library. When Loki is free he often joins them.

It’s simple and nice, the life Bucky has carved out for himself. While Steve is happy for his friend, he isn’t too proud to admit that he feels a touch of jealousy.

 

“Hey Buck,” Steve greets as he pulls open the door to his room.

“Sorry to disappoint,” Loki apologizes with a smirk. “It would seem there was some issue with one of James’ trainees this morning and he is otherwise engaged dealing with that for the moment.”

“Oh,” Steve pauses, thinking about how to spend his suddenly free morning.

“If you are not adverse, we can still spar and then perhaps after breakfast, we can find some suitable entertainment for you,” Loki offers.

Suddenly the idea of sparring one on one with Loki is both appealing and terrifying. Appealing because he thinks he might really enjoy it. Terrifying because he thinks he might _really_ enjoy it. Before he can second guess himself, Steve steps out into the vast hallway outside his room and gestures in the direction of the training grounds, “after you.”

Sparring turns out to be every bit as fun and challenging as Steve hoped. It was also just as terrible as he feared. Ever since he was a boy, fighting always made his blood sing, but sparring with Loki was something else, something both better and worse at the same time. He relished not having to hold back against the god, knowing that Loki can take everything Steve can throw at him and still keep coming back. That edge of danger does things to Steve that he really doesn’t want to think too hard about. And the fact that it was Loki, just made it worse because he certainly never reacted to any of his other sparring partners like this.

When Steve finally yields as Loki has him pinned face down on the ground, all he can do is be grateful that the bulge in his pants can’t be seen from his position, even if it is slightly painful.  When Steve gets up so they can go get breakfast, he is grateful to be able to carry his shield in front of his body.

They agree to meet up after breakfast so Loki can show Steve the various works of art throughout the palace, including the paintings in the throne room of all Asgard’s former Kings. When he knocks on Loki’s door, his stomach is a little jumpy in nervous anticipation. But it’s a pleasant feeling.

The second time he knocks on the door, it clicks open a few inches and so Steve pokes his head inside, “Loki? I’m here. Are you ready to go?”

“Captain…”

Steve throws the door open and darts into the room, wishing he had not left his shield back in his own room. He finds Loki collapsed into a large chair next to the balcony. The body of one of the Einherjar laying nearby. The god’s breath is ragged and he has a hand clasped to his stomach. Steve can see dark blood spilling between his fingers.

Dropping down to his knees Steve pulls gently at Loki’s hand. “What happened?”

“On the shelf behind the desk is a small bottle, green. Bring it to me,” Loki gasps between breaths.

Steve lurches to his feet and rushes over to the shelf. There are dozens of bottles, but his hand finally settles on a small green one filled with a viscous looking liquid. He takes it back to Loki and holds it up in front of his face, “is this the right one?”

Loki gives a quick nod, “open it for me.”

With the stopper out, Steve presses the bottle into Loki’s free hand, but continues to hold on when he notices how badly the god is shaking. He helps guide it to Loki’s lips and holds it steady while he drinks the contents.

Steve has a moment of panic when Loki’s eyes flutter shut and his hand falls limp at his side. “Loki! Loki wake up!” He jostles the god lightly, looking around the room in desperation, for what, he doesn’t know.

A minute passes, two, three, more. Steve isn’t sure how many as he sits on the ground, one hand clasped around Loki’s wrist and the other gripped in the inky black hair at the base of his neck. “Loki please.”

His heart thunders in his chest, clenching painfully with each beat. A small twitch of a fine boned wrist draws a harsh breath out of Steve as he watches Loki’s features with wide hopeful eyes. A small cough causes an intense wave of relief to wash over the blonde.

“Find James, bring him here,” Loki whispers.

“I can’t leave you.”

“The danger has passed. Find James,” Loki makes to stand and sways dangerously before even finding his feet. Steve wraps an arm around his waist and guides him to the large bed.

Once Loki is settled, he finally goes in search of Bucky, finding him in his room. “Loki’s been hurt, he’s in his room,” he says as soon as the door is partially open.

That’s all it takes and Bucky is running down the hallway. He rushes into Loki’s room and to the god’s side. “Lorelei?”

Loki nods in acknowledgement and a look passes between them, too fast for Steve to read.

“Who’s Lorelei?” Steve asks from behind Bucky.

“With no King on the throne, Asgard is technically ruled by a council, even though as Regent, Loki has some oversite,” Bucky tells him while he looks over Loki’s wound. “Lorelei has the ability to bring men under her thrall. That’s how she got on the council.”

Satisfied that Loki will be alright, Bucky walks over to the balcony, beckoning for Steve to join him. “She tried it on Loki, but it didn’t work, so I’m not surprised she made a move against him.”

Steve looks back over at Loki, who now appears to be deeply asleep. “Does Thor know?”

“That she is on the council? Yeah.”

“Then why did he leave? Wasn’t he concerned about something like this happening?”

Bucky gives him a look of mild annoyance, “of course he was, but he also knew she wouldn’t make a move with him here. In order for one of them to become King, the other has to endorse him. The same way Thor did for Loki to become Regent when he left.” Bucky shrugs a shoulder. “But if one of them is dead, it falls to the council. And with her in control of the council, she could effectively block Thor from taking the throne and keep all the power for herself.”

Steve flops down hard in one of the large chairs overlooking the gardens. “That’s…..uh…..that’s…..”

“Crazy right? Asgardian politics.” Bucky grins and shakes his head.

“So what now? How do we find her?”

Bucky rolls his eyes, “there’s no ‘we’ here Steve. You won’t stand a chance again her once she turns on the charm.”

“What? And you can?” Steve argues.

Tapping the side of his head Bucky gives a grim smile, “I’ve had plenty of experience with people getting in my head. I’m probably the only man on Asgard, other than Loki, that she can’t control.” He glances pointedly at the body of the Einherjar. “You’re going to stay here and keep an eye on him,” he points back to the sleeping god. “Now that she’s made a move against Loki……” he lifts a shoulder in a half shrug, “Stay here. I’ll be back.”

Steve wants to go with Bucky, but he understands his friend’s logic. Doesn’t mean he has to like it though. Within a few minutes of Bucky leaving, a pair of young men arrive to remove the Einherjar and clean up the room. Steve watches them closely, keeping himself squarely between them and Loki, unwilling to let his guard down.

 

Loki sleeps for hours and Steve finds himself growing restless. He prowls the room, trying not to be too nosy, but intensely curious just the same. Eventually, he finds a book with enough pictures to keep him entertained despite not being able to read it. Taking the book over to the large bed, Steve pulls his boots off and settles back against the headboard.

He certainly doesn’t mean to fall asleep and he definitely doesn’t mean to be curled on his side close enough to touch Loki, who is now awake and gazing at him intently. “Sorry,” Steve says as he jerks back.

“It is quite alright Captain,” Loki’s voice is soft, thoughtful.

Steve gets off the bed and pulls on his boots, “how are you feeling?”

“I am well, thanks to you.” Loki’s eyes follow Steve’s movements around the room as he takes the book and returns it to its shelf.

When he turns back to Loki his cheeks are tinged pink. “I didn’t really do anything….”

“The Einherjar’s blade was poisoned. Without the potion, no doubt I would not have survived.”

Even though Steve knew Loki could have died, hearing it from his own mouth causes something to shift inside him and he finds himself backing towards the door. “I think I need to go home,” he stammers. “I should tell Thor what happened.”

 

Steve returns to Earth as soon as Bucky comes back to report that Lorelei had been captured and placed in a specialized cell.

When he got back to the compound, Thor was out on a mission and so he left a long rambling voicemail on Natasha’s phone, since Thor still hasn’t quite mastered the use of one. Steve is sitting in his room having a beer with Sam when Thor calls him back and he puts it on speaker. “I shall be returning to Asgard as soon as Natasha and I are done here in Florida. With this recent development, it is time that Loki’s position be solidified.”

“What are you going to do?” Sam asks, eyes darting over to Steve, who doesn’t look away from his beer bottle.

“I am simply going to make it known, what has been true all along. Loki is Asgard’s King.”

When the blonde god hangs up the call, Sam looks at Steve, “so what are _you_ going to do?”

 

Loki has been quiet and Bucky is tempted to think it is because of the attack, but he knows that’s not the case. There is something else on Loki’s mind, or perhaps someone else. Even when Thor arrived and told Loki of his plan, the dark haired god was subdued.

They are standing out on the balcony overlooking the bifrost when Bucky finally gets him alone long enough to ask how he feels about Thor endorsing him as King.

Loki doesn’t answer right away. When he does, his eyes are fixed straight ahead.

“We are cast in roles, James, all of us. Villain, hero, soldier, victim, friend, lover, King, fool.”

Bucky narrows his eyes and follows Loki’s gaze out across the rainbow bridge. There is something in his tone. Something brittle and filled with longing. It hurts to hear, mostly because Bucky feels the echo of those words inside himself.

In the distance he can see someone emerge from the observatory and begin walking across the bridge. Bucky doesn’t have to wonder who it is. He knows with the certainty that comes from a bond forged in sickness and poverty and friendship and strength, so long ago. Out of the corner of his eye he can see Loki’s hand grip the railing tighter and he chances a glance up at his face. His features are impassive as ever, but as soon as he opens his mouth Bucky knows its all an act.

“What we choose to do with those roles, that is what makes us who we are. Do we accept them docilely? Or do we rail against them with every ounce of our being, to turn ourselves into something more? Something better.” His eyes are locked on Steve as he makes his way towards them. And then he looks down to where his hands are gripping the rail, “or something worse.”

“Is that what you think? That you became something worse by fighting against your role?”

Loki sighs softly, eyes fixed on the figure striding rapidly towards them, “I think that the Captain has become something better. Something more than he was meant to be. Something more than either of us deserve.”

Bucky doesn’t argue, he knows Loki is right. But, “I wasn’t asking about him, I was asking about you.”

Loki hums thoughtfully, “I was born heir to two thrones and yet meant to be king of none. I embraced that role and all that came with it. Villain, victim, fool. I have been given a second chance and I plan to rail against every role that has been thrust upon me.”

Bucky smiles knowingly, looking over at Loki, “and maybe embrace a few new ones?” He pointedly turns back towards the bridge and Steve, who is now close enough to call out to, but not before he see’s the slight tinge of pink on Loki’s cheeks.

 

“Where’s your shield?”

For a moment Steve looks embarrassed, but then its gone and he gets that look of determination on his face that Bucky is all too familiar with. “I, uh, left it, with Sam.”

“Oh?” Bucky can feel his heart rate pick up and he quickly glances over at Loki. The god’s expression gives nothing away.

Steve lifts a hand and rubs at the back of his neck, “yeah, I didn’t think I’d need it so much anymore-“

He is cut off by almost 260 lbs of super soldier yanking him into a too tight hug.

Over Bucky’s shoulder Steve can see Loki standing there. His expression is unreadable as always. Steve wishes that for once he could know just what Loki is thinking. But then the god smiles, “welcome home Captain.”

 

Two days later and Steve is standing on a short podium while an elderly woman takes measurements of his entire body. He’s fairly certain the crafty woman measured a couple of areas more than absolutely necessary.

“Why am I doing this again?” Steve asks as he casts an exasperated look at Bucky who seems to be thoroughly enjoying himself digging through piles of fabric.

“New job, new uniform Stevie,” Bucky practically sings at him as he pulls on the corner of a piece of fabric. His eyes brighten and he slaps the material back down into the pile before Steve can get a good look at it, but he doesn’t miss the way Bucky waves over one of the assistants and whispers in her ear while tapping on it.

“What are you whispering about over there?” Steve calls out, wishing that he had something to throw at Bucky right then. Not hard enough to hurt him necessarily, just enough to knock that stupid smug grin off his face.

When the seamstress finally announces that she is done with Steve, he steps down and heaves a sigh of relief. Bucky is hunched over a table with the assistant from before pointing and gesturing as the girl sketches. Steve tries to get a glimpse of the drawing, but Bucky blocks his view.

“Don’t I get a say in what it looks like?”

Bucky gives another grin that Steve wants to knock off his face. “Nope. You have questionable fashion sense,” Bucky teases as he looks at Steve’s khaki pants and plaid shirt. “Now go see what Loki is up to while we work.”

When he is led back to the seamstress the next day, Steve can’t help but admire the new uniform. A mixture of warm browns and golds, it has similar lines to his old uniform, but this one is much more detailed. Intricate bronze scaled armor graces his arms and runs down his sides from ribs to knees. The boots are a beautiful supple leather with detailing that mimics the flexible armor covering his stomach. It takes Bucky's help to get into it, but when he does, Steve can’t deny that it looks and feels good.

He is busy checking himself in the mirror while the seamstress fusses around him and doesn’t notice Loki walk in. He does notice when the room goes silent. Turning around, he sees Loki standing there holding something all too familiar.

Loki approaches and runs his eyes over Steve's body causing him to blush at the attention. After a moment, Bucky gives a small cough and looks pointedly at Loki's hands. This time Steve isn’t the only one blushing and that feels like a win.

“The original is still with Sam, but T'Challa was kind enough to gift me with enough vibranium to make this for you.”

He hands Steve the shield and harness that perfectly match his new uniform, down to the delicate scroll work on the stars adorning both.

“Loki,” Steve breathes as he runs his hands over the curved metal. “This is beautiful. Thank you.” He turns to Bucky, “Both of you.”

“Nothing but the best for the Captain of the Einherjar,” Loki replies as the blush dusting his cheeks deepens. 

 

“C’mon Stevie loosen up a little. It's a party.”

“No it’s a coronation. And I’m supposed to be keeping an eye on things.”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t mingle and have fun.” 

Steve gives him a look that Bucky knows well. That mixture of irritation and amusement that Steve has perfected. 

“What?” he asks. Even though he already knows what Steve is going to say.

“I know what you mean by that Buck. And you know it's not going to happen.”

Bucky just grins and waves to a beautiful blonde in a dark red dress. He still has that grin on his face when he turns his attention back to Steve just in time to see him roll his eyes.

“Just because you spend your time screwing your way through Asgard doesn't mean I’m going to.”

“Look around Steve. All of these people and you could have any one of them,” Bucky teases as he looks over Steve’s shoulder. “You could even have the one you want.”

Its almost funny, the way Steve’s eyebrows shoot up. “What’s that supposed-“

“I trust you are enjoying the party?” Loki asks from just behind Steve, causing him to jump and whirl around. He can hear Bucky snickering behind him.

“Yeah. In fact I was just telling Steve he should let loose a little, find someone to take back to his room for the night.” 

Loki turns his gaze on Steve who is positively red and glaring at Bucky. “Why, yes Captain. That does sound like something you would enjoy.” 

“No. No I can't do that.”

“Of course you can. You can have the pick of any man or woman in this room.” 

“Except me,” Bucky cuts in.

“Yes. Any man or woman in this room except Barnes.” There is a smile on Loki’s face, a mixture of amusement and something else that Steve can’t quite place, but makes his insides squirm. And worse, he can’t decide if the feeling is pleasant or not.

“So let's say Steve wanted to make time with one of the high ups, you know someone really important?”

Bucky is grinning and Steve can read his smile just fine. He purses his lips together and watches the banter back and forth between Loki and Bucky, silently vowing to get Bucky back before the night is over. But the longer he looks at Loki, the more he comes to realize that the feeling in his stomach is definitely pleasant.

 

Its late. Very late. Steve has watched the party die down, watched the people finally start to trickle out. He watched Bucky charm his way around the room before losing sight of him several hours ago. And even though he doesn’t want to admit it, he watched Loki. Quite a bit more than his duty would require. He scans the room again and then wants to kick himself once he realizes what he’s doing. And then wants to kick himself again at the disappointment he feels when he doesn’t see Loki.

“Searching for someone to take back to your room tonight Captain?”

Steve jumps at Loki’s voice, close to his ear. He can feel his cheeks pink in embarrassment and he curses his complexion for what must be the millionth time in his life. Loki comes around to stand beside him and Steve casts a long look over his frame.

“What about you? Have you found someone that catches your eye?” Steve asks, before quickly realizing that he probably doesn’t really want to hear the answer.

But its too late now as Loki opens his mouth. “Perhaps.”

They stand in silence for a few minutes. Occasionally, someone approaches to speak to Loki. The god is polite and pleasant, while still maintaining a distinct air of authority. And Steve has to acknowledge that Loki really has it in him to be a good king.

As the last of the party goers wander out, Loki turns to Steve, “it would appear you have missed your chance Captain.” There is a touch of playfulness on the surface, but it is a poor mask for what is underneath. Steve only recognizes it because he feels it too. Regret, fear. Desire.

Before he can talk himself out of it, Steve reaches up and cups the side of Loki’s face, drawing him in, to softly press their lips together. “Maybe not,” he breathes.

When he pulls back, Loki’s eyes are still closed, the corners of his mouth slightly turned up. He looks pleased. And that’s good. Really good. When the god does open his eyes there is a gleam there that makes Steve think he may just be in trouble.

“Did the seamstress advise you on the best way to divest yourself of your uniform?”

“Uh…no?”

Loki takes a small step closer, lowering his voice, as if there were anyone around to over hear. “So she did not tell you it is best done with assistance?”

Oh yeah. He’s in trouble. “No. Can’t say that she did.”

Another small step brings their chests only inches apart. “If you like, I can accompany you back to your room and help you.”

So much trouble. And he couldn’t be happier about it. “I think your room is closer.”

 

 

 

**Epilogue**

Steve has his hand extended down to help Bucky back to his feet. The soldier takes the offering with a grin.

“Next time do it without the shield.”

It’s a familiar argument, with a familiar answer. “Next time do it without your arm.”

Steve starts to dust himself off, now that their sparring demonstration for the youngest of Asgard’s warriors is over, but is stopped by an elbow to his ribs.

“You better go.”

Steve follows his friends line of sight, eyes landing on Loki standing just outside the training ring.

“All right. See you later. Try not to be late,” Steve chastises playfully.

Bucky has to choke back a snicker, “yeah, you’re one to talk. _Captain_.”

Loki’s expression is stoic. As reserved as ever when Steve approaches. “Thor is not due for another few hours. My official duties are done for the day. All preparations for the reveal and feast have been seen too and it would appear I have some free time on my hands,” Loki murmurs as his eyes roam over the training grounds.

“Is that so.”

Loki begins to walk back inside the palace. Steve matches his pace, knowing exactly where Loki is going. They stop in the Throne room and Steve is able to watch as workers cover the three new paintings that now hang amongst Asgard’s former Kings. He hopes when the paintings of he and Bucky are revealed along side Loki’s, that there will be no objections.

When Loki first proposed the idea, he was against it, but Steve has come to learn that it is almost impossible for him to resist Loki when the god puts his mind to something, much to the blonde’s delight and occasional irritation. Thor’s enthusiastic agreement only solidified the plan in Loki’s head.

They exit the throne room and Loki continues down the hallway towards a set of large ornate doors. Steve stops just outside, remembering something he has to do before the feast as he looks down at his dusty training clothes.

“My uniform is with the seamstress. She was repairing that, uh, rip, from last week. I need to get it.”

The corners of Loki's mouth curl up as he pushes the doors open, places a hand on Steve’s lower back and guides him in the room. “No need. I already took the liberty.”

True to his word, there is the Captain’s uniform draped over the chair nearest their bed. “Now Steve, why don’t I help you out of these.”

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> If you liked it, We would love to hear about it.


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